The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the
armed forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...
, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporting
staff or a primary
aide-de-camp to an important individual, such as a
president, or a senior military officer, or leader of a large organization.
In general, a chief of staff provides a buffer between a chief executive and that executive's direct-reporting team. The chief of staff generally works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive.
Often chiefs of staff act as a confidant and advisor to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas. Ultimately the actual duties depend on the position and the people involved.
Civilian
Government
Australia
*
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
Brazil
*
Chief of Staff of the Presidency
Canada
*
Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister
*
Principal Secretary
Colombia
*
Chief of Staff of the Presidency
Germany
*
Head of the German Chancellery
India
*
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India
Nigeria
*
Chief of Staff to the President
Pakistan
*
Principal Secretary to the President
*
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister
Philippines
*
Chief of Staff (Philippines), a former position in the
Cabinet of the Philippines
The Cabinet of the Philippines (, usually referred to as the Cabinet or Gabinete) consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the Philippines. Currently, it includes the secretaries of Executi ...
, serving under the
President of the Philippines
The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-ch ...
*
Special Assistant to the President
Special or specials may refer to:
Policing
* Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force
* Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer
* Special police forces
Mi ...
South Korea
*
Chief Presidential Secretary, chief of staff to the
President of South Korea
Spain
*
Moncloa Chief of Staff
United Kingdom
*
Private Secretary to the Sovereign
*
Downing Street Chief of Staff
*
Cabinet Secretary
A cabinet secretary is usually a senior official (typically a civil servant) who provides services and advice to a cabinet of ministers as part of the Cabinet Office. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powe ...
*
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
*
Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
=Scotland
=
*
Chief of Staff to the First Minister
United States of America
*
Chief of staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
, the most senior staff member in the office of a member of the United States Congress
*
White House Chief of Staff
Military
In general, the positions listed below are not "chiefs of staff" as defined at the top of this page; they are the heads of the various forces/commands and tend to have subordinates that fulfill the "chief of staff" roles.
In general
*
Chief of the Defence
*
Chief of the Defence Staff
*
Chief of the General Staff
*
Chief of the Army Staff
*
Chief of the Air Staff
*
Chief of the Naval Staff
*
:Vice chiefs of staff
Azerbaijan
*
Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces - head of General Staff of
Azerbaijani Armed Forces
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces () is the military of the Azerbaijan, Republic of Azerbaijan. It was re-established according to the country's Law of the Armed Forces on 9 October 1991. The original Azerbaijan Democratic Republic's armed forces were ...
Canada
*
Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)
**
Chief of the General Staff
**
Chief of the Naval Staff
**
Chief of the Air Staff
France
*
Chief of the Defence Staff (French: , CEMA)
**
Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: , CEMAA)
**
Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: , CEMAT)
**
Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: , CEMM)
**
Chief of Staff of the French Gendarmerie (French: , DGGN)
Ghana
*
Chief of Defence Staff
**
Chief of the Army Staff
**
Chief of the Navy Staff
**
Chief of the Air Staff
Greece
*
Chief of the Defence Staff (Greece)
**
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Air Force
**
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Army
**
Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Navy
India
*
Chief of Defence Staff (Indian Armed Forces)
**
Chief of the Army Staff (Indian Army)
**
Chief of the Naval Staff (Indian Navy)
**
Chief of the Air Staff (Indian Air Force)
Indonesia
*
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
*
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy
*
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force
Ireland
*
Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces
Israel
*
Chief of the Israeli General Staff
Italy
*Chief of the Defence Staff
**
Chief of the Army Staff
**Chief of the Navy Staff
**Chief of the Air Force Staff
Pakistan
*
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee
**
Chief of Army Staff
***
CGS
**
Chief of Naval Staff
***
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
**
Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)
Philippines
*Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, later renamed to the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, AFP - exercises command and control over all elements of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Portugal
*
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (
Portuguese: , CEMGFA) - operational commander of the
Portuguese Armed Forces
** Chief of Staff of the Navy (Portuguese: , CEMA) - commander of the
Portuguese Navy
** Chief of Staff of the Army (Portuguese: , CEME) - commander of the
Portuguese Army
** Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: , CEMFA) - commander of the
Portuguese Air Force
Spain
*
Chief of the Defence Staff
**
Chief of Staff of the Army
**
Chief of Staff of the Navy
**
Chief of Staff of the Air Force
Sri Lanka
*
Chief of the Defence Staff (Sri Lanka) - the most senior appointment in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
**
Chief of Staff of the Army - deputy commander of the
Sri Lankan Army
** Chief of Staff of the Navy - deputy commander of the
Sri Lankan Navy
The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) (; ) is the navy, naval arm of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces and is classed as the country's most vital defence force due to its island geography. It is responsible for the maritime defence of the Sri Lankan nation and its ...
** Chief of Staff of the Air Force - deputy commander of the
Sri Lankan Air Force
United Kingdom
*
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) - the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
**Chief of the Naval Staff, more commonly called the
First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord, officially known as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS), is the title of a statutory position in the British Armed Forces, held by an Admiral (Royal Navy), admiral or a General (United Kingdom), general of the ...
**
Chief of the General Staff, formerly the
Chief of the Imperial General Staff
**
Chief of the Air Staff
The
Sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...
is the Commander-in-Chief. The CDS heads the
Chiefs of Staff Committee and is assisted by the
Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.
United States
*
Joint Chiefs of Staff, headed by the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)
**
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
*** An Army
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Army, but subordinate to any Army O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
**
Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
*** An Air Force
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(O-10) serving as the senior ranking officer within the United States Air Force, but subordinate to any USAF O-10 serving as CJCS or Vice CJCS
* In
unified combatant commands, headed by a
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
(O-10) or Navy
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
(O-10)
** A
major general (O-8) or Navy or Coast Guard
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
(O-8) overseeing the command's directorates
* In military commands headed by a
lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
(O-9),
vice admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral.
Australia
In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...
(O-9),
major general (O-8) or
rear admiral
Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral.
Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...
(O-8), or
brigadier general (O-7) or
rear admiral, lower half (O-7)
** A
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
(O-6) or Navy or Coast Guard
captain (O-6) overseeing the entire general officer's/flag officer's command staff; in some cases may also be referred to as an ''executive assistant'' or ''executive officer''
*** In some commands and organizations, two officers in pay grade O-6 may be assigned as chief of staff and executive assistant, respectively.
See also
*
Chief of Defence
A chief of defence (or head of defence) is the highest ranked Officer (armed forces), commissioned officer of a nation's armed forces. The acronym CHOD is in common use within NATO and the European Union as a generic term for the highest national ...
*
Chief Secretary (disambiguation)
*
General secretary
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...
*
Permanent secretary
A permanent secretary is the most senior Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant of a department or Ministry (government department), ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are ...
*
Principal Private Secretary
*
Provincial secretary
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chief Of Staff
*
*